What's New in Theme Parks This Summer

Naturally, the park has a concert venue, too -- a 10,000-seat amphitheater that's expected to play host to major tours.

Nickelodeon Universe, Bloomington, Minn.

Universal Orlando once had a Nickelodeon component to its parks, but now the Mall of America is showcasing a whole Nick "universe." This all-new, seven-acre indoor park features 18 Nick-theme rides (i.e. The Fairly OddParents Fairly Odd Coaster), plus four Nick-branded stores. Hey, it's located in a mall, so you didn't think shopping wouldn't be involved, did you?

Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio: This 139-year-old Midwest park may be celebrated as the number-one destination for roller coaster fanatics -- it has 17 in all! -- but its focus this year is on something a little more tame.

The park is unveiling Planet Snoopy, a Peanuts-themed children's area with seven rides. And if you get hungry, check out the Peanuts-themed restaurant nearby, called Joe Cool Café.

SEA LIFE Aquarium at LEGOLAND California Resort, Carlsbad, Calif.: And you thought LEGOs were just building bricks? Now, the LEGO brand, which already established itself in the theme-park world with LEGOLAND, is adding fish to the mix.

The soon-to-open SEA LIFE, part of a $20 million expansion of the California park, features a 175,000-gallon display that's home to black tip reef sharks, southern stingrays, dogface puffers and giant frogfish, among other creatures of the deep.

Oh, and there are plenty of LEGO models on display as well, including one of a 7-foot-long LEGO submarine.

We wonder how many bricks that took to build.